niedziela, 29 września 2013

Sometimes during the all games played we have this one we wanna remember, and the one we wanna to forget as quick as possible. Our last game in our club is for the second sort of the games - to forget about it as soon as posible... So from the beggining. Last Thursday, I joined the Michael's AWI Black Powder Campaign game, mostly to support our new club gamer Matt. As Campbell hasn't any game that night he join Michael's forces. More about the troops and all campaign you can read on Michael's blog at this link (click here).

Michael for his games preparing very detailed briefing. This pictures below is some part of this. For more clearance Michael commanded British, Campbell Hesians, Matt Americans and French, Skirmishes, Indians and guns myself.

As the battlefield was clear and flat surface without any trees - this seem that the game would could be quite boring, because none of the troops will risk and come close enought to the enemy, because those part who will do it as the first, would suffer the casualties as the first. (In our club we play House Rule, set by Bill Gilchrist: Initiative Movement, Firing and Ordered Movement). For the first few turns the game exactly looks like this, both lines faced each other, and both side guns tryed to do something, but all targets ware on the very long distance, so there was no results. So everything looks like this game will be a wasted night... so I decided to change it...

Everyone, who ever played against me, known that I like risking on the battlefield as my gold rules: "Who wants to live forever?" and "Death or Glory", but this time it finished quite bad for myself. First my French troops moved closer to the Brits, and Brits answered with fire. The both battalions had untested stamina, so when it comes for the first casualties I rolled for stamina and I rolled very badly. I rolled 1, so the stamina was 1 for one of the both battalions. Not enought for casualties, so I had to roll for Morale, and I rolled bad again and that how I lost my first unit. Now the situation looks very bad for myself, but soon it looked worst. British cavalry charged on my Indians, and whipped them from the table. American Irregulars tryed to do something, but during the time I ordered them, I blundered (double 6 for order) them as well, and again I rolled very bad, so as the effect they charged the British Dragoons. It was bad, very bad, so I lost next unit. Finally I bring troops to the order, but it was to late as the battle was already lost...

From the relation above, you can ask what about Americans and Hesians? Actually nothing. Matt and Campbell observing my disaster decided not to move their troops, and to the end of the game both of them stand one in front each other and did nothing...

As you can see I lost this game on my demand. If I did not move first, but wait as Matt and Campbell, probably all game would looks completely different, maybe it would have some result. At least we had very good fun with all my morale tests, which all went very bad this time - I think that I did not pass any of them during the game.

sobota, 21 września 2013

Usually when i raport the games played by myself, they are mostly with historical background. But sometimes, from time to time I like to play something extraordinary. This is the reason I played the In Her Majesty's Name, the steampunk skirmish from Osprey. It was the second game in the club with this system and not everything went smooth, but the game itself was quite enjoyable and very funny as well.

In this system you lead an Adventuring Company, a group of extraordinary heroes together with some support team. Remember that, this is alternative world, so the heroes have sometimes special abilities. For more details of those troops, visit the Osprey site, or just google it. In our game we used five teams, which ware:

For all the time, our game divided on the few almost separate fights. In the first the Alexandra's ladies fought against the Torchwod team and Lord Curr Company. As the Curr's guys avoid any melees over here and used only the rifles here, the Torchwood team belived in melee only. The worst situation had the Princess team. Being attacked from both sides, finally had broke and all ladies had been removed... There was no directly fight between Lord Curr and Torchwood, however Lord, himself tryed to hit one of the Torchwood team member, but not very succesfull.

Both sides for the long time tried to ambush each other. Finally everything ended with few melees. The Curr's team successful defended the building, but had to use all heroes besides of Lord Curr, who was busy with the first fight. The whole fight had never been solved here, but in better position was the Curr's team.

It was the shortest fight of the game. It had happend at the end of the game. The Curr soldiers with their rifles killed two members of the Black Dragon team and I think that they secured the victory of their team. The Dragon team in that time had three buildings, whilst the Curr team had four buildings. Thanks that action, the Dragon team stopped, and never got the last building.

The system is quite well designed. It is fast playing game. Is good, however ther are some buts. I'm dissapointed that there is no extra modificators when you are shoting at Point Blank or minuses when there is shooting on long distance. The same is with the MGs, at the short range, those weapon should be very deadly, but it isn't. The strong side of the game are the abilities of the heroes. Every of them have his strengths and weaknesses, what made the characters very ballanced. Any way very good game for every entusiastic of the steampunk reality, and for everyone who want to play something different.

poniedziałek, 16 września 2013

The same as last week, this time we decided to play BG Kursk again. This time to finally get our game to the end we needed something smaller. For this purpose I chose the scenario from the main book: Clash of Reconnaissance. As I don't have all vehicles from the original scenario yet (or some of them I have, but I decided to use some other I never used before), I upgraded both forces to the figures and models I already have. The final version of the forces was almost ready, when just before I left home on my way to the club, I decided to upgrade the forces for some extra tanks (finally it was good idea, and we finished our game on time, with the result!).

In the first turn both sides (the units with the scout characteristic) tryed to get the best positions before the main forces will arrive. Serious threat for me was the Soviet sniper team. I decided to not to risk, and they become the first target for the one of my squads. It was succesfull action and the first blood was spread and Soviets lost their sniper team. The second German squad moved to secure the objective on the hill. In both situations I decided to left one man from each squad in the Sdkfz, so I was able to use an extra MG. Soviets placed their vehicles on both sides of the large farmhouse. Now everybody was awaiting for their main forces.

The second turn strated very badly for myself. First the Soviet AT gun destroyed my SdKfz 251/10 with my officer, and next Valentine destroyed my Marder II - I lost all my available at that moment AT weapons that way! In exchange I killed the AT gun crew, and my second squad killed the Soviet officer. And in that way both sides lost their officers. For Soviet it was bigger lost, because their lost their Mortar spotter, and this weapon become useless. During the third turn the fighing continued. As on the east side of the battlefield my situation looks all right, on the western side was less than bad. My lonely infantry squad had two Soviet squads supported with BA64 against and finally it had been destroyed.

In fourth turn both reserves arrived. Unlucky for me, Campbell used the Ammo Low counter against one of my tank. I throw 6 for test and one of my Pz IV left the battlefield to look for some ammunition! So left my two tanks against 3 T34s and Vallentine, not very good for myself. Thanks for me Campbell spread his forces, so I was able to use the panzer fist, and concentrate all tanks actions in one place. And finally it brought some effects, the Vallentine had been destroyed. On the western side my situation for the moment looked better than the last time. I send there two SdKfz's. With their MGs, they destroyed both Soviet infantry squads, but then they had to face the T34! No chances for halftrucks in that combat. Soon both of them had been destroyed. On the other side, my concentrate fire mission brings first T34 pinned. Two other left...

Now the situation was very interesting, because both sides almost broke. I had lost 24 BR and Campbell lost 20 BR, so every next lost could bring the end of the game. Lucky for myself, I won the initiative. I chose an easy target (pinned T34), from very close range my PzIV destroyed that tank. It was almost like an execution! Campbell had to take a counter and reached 24 BR, 3 more than his battlegroup morale level and that way he lost the game.

This time the game was very smooth. There are still some questions, that needs answers (the book is not very clear abouth them). After the game we had time to look at others games (for example the very big Kiss Me, Hardy game).